


Yozora's Birthday

by SmartZelda



Series: Soriku Oneshots [15]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Background Kairi/Olette, Background Namine/Xion, Background Namixi, Birthday, Destiny Islands (Kingdom Hearts), Fluff, Gen, M/M, Mickey Mouse is basically Riku's dad, Replivani, Soriku - Freeform, Terra acts like Riku's dad sometimes, There are a lot more characters, Vanitas Is Bad at Feelings (Kingdom Hearts), Yozora is a soriku lovechild, baby Yozora, background kailette, mainly soriku
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-24 18:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22222693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmartZelda/pseuds/SmartZelda
Summary: It's little Yozora's fifth birthday, and Sora and Riku are rushing out the door to get going on their weeklong vacation. It's complete with a surprise party, reunioning, presents, cake, and feelings!
Relationships: Kairi & Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Riku Replica/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Soriku Oneshots [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1499978
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	Yozora's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> First off, I'd like to thank Xion for drawing this pic of Sora and Riku holding baby Yozora for me!  
> https://xionshadow.tumblr.com/post/189864715985/happy-chi-mas-i-hope-you-love-my-gift-from-me-to
> 
> Second, I didn't add all the characters in the tags because they all have varying levels of importance. Many of the characters include Donald, Goofy, Mickey, the sea-salt trio, the wayfinder trio, the lost trio, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Isa, and Olette.
> 
> Last, I left how Riku and Sora had Yozora open, so you can take it as adoption, magic, whatever.

"Sora! Could you help me out over here?" Riku calls, carrying all three suitcases (Yozora's being the smallest), three large tote bags (one full of Yozora's toys and some beach toys, the other filled with snacks and some sandwiches, and the last with a picnic blanket and a few beach towels), a stack of blankets, and a few pillows. Sora packed so much just for a weeklong trip. 

"Sora! SORA!"

When Sora still doesn't answer, Riku attempts to lower some of the luggage to the ground in hopes of freeing a hand. Luckily, nothing falls over, and he manages to open the trunk of the purple van. Personally, Riku thinks it's an ugly shade of purple, but Sora loves it, and besides the fact that he can't refuse him, they just needed a cheap enough car when they bought it.

After Riku finishes loading the last of the luggage he was holding, he looks down at the luggage at his feet. Unfortunately, just as he begins to lean down to pick it up, the stack falls over. He stays slumped over, sighing hard.

_Why does this always happen?_

Eventually, he straightens his upper body again and walks over to the open door of the house, leaving the toppled luggage beside the car, temporarily. Half-cupping a hand over his mouth, leaning in through the doorway, he calls upstairs, "Sora! Are you almost ready?"

No answer.

"SORA!"

"Yeah, I'm ready!" Sora calls from upstairs.

"What about Yozora?"

"Almost!"

"We're going to be late," Riku mutters to himself with a sigh as he walks back to the car to finish loading luggage.

~

Meanwhile, Sora's upstairs, standing outside Yozora's room, leaning his body against the doorway. "Honey, you almost done?" he asks, craning his neck to speak through the crack in the door.

"Yeah."

"Can you let daddy in, then?"

"I'm gwetin me weady!"

"That's fine, but we have to leave. Let me in?" Sora pleads. He doesn't want Riku to come up and have to bother with them after he had already promised to get Yozora ready. "Please?"

"I'm doesing it myself!"

"I know you are. I promise I'm letting you," Sora assures him sweetly. "Can you just let me in?"

Sora hears a little sigh through the door before it opens, revealing Yozora, wearing plain red swim trunks, a red t-shirt with a black Mickey silhouette in the middle, and his navy blue tennis shoes (that aren't quite on his feet) with mismatched blue and red socks. "All weady!" Yozora smiles.

"That doesn't- Well- I...You're very cute."

_His clothes don't really match, but...we reaaally have to leave..._

Yozora beams. "Thwank you~, daddy."

Sora fixes Yozora's shoes and pulls up his socks, then smiles before putting a hand on his shoulder. "You have all the toys you're bringing?"

Yozora's eyes light up. "Oh, yeah!" he remembers, running back into his room. He returns shortly, snuggling a Meow Wow and Komory Bat dream eater plush.

Sora smiles lovingly at his son.

_He's so adorable._

"That it?"

"Yeah." Yozora nods, still snuggling the plushies.

"Kay, let's go!" Sora picks up Yozora and holds him bridal style as he rushes down the stairs.

"Daddy, I walk myself!"

"I know, but we need to go fast, or we're gonna be late to you-" Sora stops himself abruptly. "Or we're gonna be late!"

"We be late?" Yozora asks, just as Sora reaches the bottom of the stairs.

Riku stands frozen in the doorway, as he was just a moment from running in the house to see what was taking so long. After a second, he takes a step out of the doorway and to the side so Sora can speed past him, still carrying Yozora.

Sora rushes to open the car door, then lowers Yozora's feet down to the ground. He lets Yozora climb into the car seat and buckle himself up before he shuts the car door and throws the passenger side door open, hopping into his seat just before Riku hops onto the driver's seat. They pull their doors closed and Riku starts the car.

Sora turns his head, craning his neck to look behind his seat at Yozora. "All ready?" he asks him.

"Mmmhm." Yozora nods, smiling.

Sora turns to Riku, giving him two thumbs up and a smile, and Riku starts the car out of the driveway, and on the way to their destination.

Sora checks his gummiphone for the time. "Eight twenty two," he breathes with a sigh. "Maybe we can make it on time." He slides his phone under one of his thighs and turns to Riku. The pep returns to his voice. "Riku! Can I drive?"

"I- Wha...Why?" Riku's eyebrows scrunch up in confusion.

"I wanna help you out!"

"It's fine. I can drive."

"Yeah...but I slowed us down this morning getting Yozora ready... I need to make it up to you!"

"It's fine."

"Please? Riku?" Sora pleads.

Nothing.

"Pleaaaaase?"

Riku gives in. "Okay, okay," he sighs, "how bout we switch halfway through?"

"Okay!" Sora nods.

Riku smiles. He may not have gotten to see Sora's reaction, but he knows it was a smile, and an adorable one at that.

~

Sora smiles once the city fades into small towns and the beach. "Riku, what time is it?"

"Eleven oh five."

Sora stops the car in preparation to board the ferry to their destination and takes a look back at Yozora, sleeping so peacefully, cuddling both his Meow Wow and Komory Bat plush. He smiles lovingly, and after a moment turns to face Riku, their eyes meeting, and the smile stays.

Sora gets to be right here with _his_ Riku and _their_ son, and he wouldn't trade moments like these for the universe.

Sora decides to lean in, close the distance.

"Come on up!"

But abruptly pulls back into his seat and starts the car forward to board the ferry, leaving Riku with an appropriately red face and a lingering soft smile for the both of them.

~

Yozora's eyes open slowly, and Riku and Sora can tell he's woken up when he says, "Where we daddies? We tere now?"

"Nearly," Riku replies at the same time Sora mutters mindlessly, "Yeah," just as a large island comes into view.

Where the ferry stops, Yozora can see the shore of the beach where some people are playing and enjoying themselves, building sandcastles and swimming, and his eyes widen. He gasps very audibly and genuinely (though it sounds a bit dramatic) and asks, excited, "We going to da beach?!"

Both Riku and Sora take a look back at Yozora, who would be bouncing up and down if not for the seat belt, and they smile.

"In a way...yes," Riku answers.

Yozora puts his hands on the window and peers through it, pressing his face to it, trying to see as much as possible.

Riku, on the other hand, reaches over with his left hand to grasp Sora's right, and Sora squeezes his hand back. Even though they've been married for a while now, simple gestures like that mean the world to both of them. They just can't help but smile around each other. Maybe they've been hit with a dose of some reality, had to figure out relationships like everyone does, but the fact that either one could look at the other every day with the knowledge that they're bound together forever by so many forces always manages to astound them.

Once signaled, Sora lightly presses the gas, easing the car off the ferry, down onto a gravel road. Yozora stays glued to the window, and Sora's hand stays in Riku's as he maneuvers the car through the island to a small house. Instead of the normal brown of the wood or red of the occasional brick house, the house is of a painted white wood and a pastel pink roof.

Riku laughs. "Kairi's never been one for flaunting her status, but we should've expected she would buy paint from another world to make her house look nice."

Sora pulls the car into the driveway and shifts the gear into park before turning it off. "She probably painted it herself too," he laughs.

Sora begs to unload the luggage as Riku opens his car door, and Riku doesn't argue, so Sora tries to unload it all while Riku lets Yozora out.

"We're here sweetheart." Riku smiles as he opens the door and Yozora hops out of the car, both plushies under his arms. Riku looks back to see Sora, struggling to close the trunk, so he picks up Yozora with one arm, who immediately tries to wriggle out, and walks over for a moment to help with his other.

Once that's done, Riku sets Yozora down and draws the car keys out of his pants pocket to lock the doors, then drops it back in after the beep. Then, he and Sora finally walk up to the door while Yozora sprints up to it.

"I wanna wing it!" Yozora declares.

Riku gives Sora a look through the luggage, and they both nod. Riku ruffles Yozora's hair. "Go ahead."

Yozora lets Riku pick him up so he can reach the doorbell. He presses the doorbell, causing a ring to sound, then knocks as hard as he can on the door for good measure. He rubs his hurt fist as Riku sets him back down and the trio waits for the door to open.

"Is Kairi...not home?" Sora cocks his head in confusion.

"Well...we _are_ late," Riku states. "They're probably waiting for us already."

A laugh. "You guys _are_ late."

Riku's eyes widen, and Sora jumps.

Yozora's the first to turn, and he runs up to the redhead, giving her a big hug. "Anty Kiwi!"

"Awwww, Kaiiiiriiii!" Sora whines. "I almost dropped all the luggage!"

"Maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings, dork," Kairi teases with another laugh as she hoists Yozora up.

Yozora holds onto Kairi's neck as she walks past Sora and Riku, drawing a key out of her pocket, to unlock the door.

"It's hard to be aware when you have blankets blocking your field of vision!"

"Then you should've taken trips," Kairi laughs as she pushes open the door. "And voila," she steps aside, gesturing at the door, "come right in."

"You're on my side, right Riku?" Sora walks through the doorway, Riku following behind.

"Well...she has a point."

"Rikuuuu!" Sora drops the luggage on the living room floor. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Riku chuckles and ruffles Sora's hair. "Sure."

Kairi lets Yozora back down and Sora, attention shifted, smiles.

"Buuuuut...since Yozora's here...I think I just might forgive you. _Maybe_."

"I'll take maybe." Riku smiles, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Sora's cheek, causing his cheeks to redden.

"You two lovebirds forget about me already?" Kairi teases, smirking, a hand on her waist.

"Of course not, Kairi!" Sora moves forward to wrap his arms around Kairi, squeezing tight. "You're our best friend, after all!"

Yozora smiles before struggling to wrap his smaller arms as far as he can around Sora and Kairi from the side.

Riku, giggling, slowly moves around to hug Kairi from the back, wrapping his arms around Kairi and Sora at once.

Together, they all make one big Kairi sandwich, and Kairi does her best to hug back, relishing in the warmth and love radiating from her best friends and her honorary nephew.

"Sora's right, Kairi. You're our best friend," Riku assures her. "We all love you."

"I yuv you, anty Kiwi!" Yozora exclaims, hugging tighter.

"My boys," Kairi whispers. "I love you too."

After a moment or so, Kairi laughs, breaking the soft silence. "Boys, I love you and I would love to stay like this, but we should probably get going if you don't wanna get chewed out."

"That's exactly what's going to happen," Sora complains as he pulls out of the embrace, Riku following while Yozora still holds onto Kairi.

"Don't worry, Sora. We'll be chewed out together," Riku reassures him. "You won't be alone."

"I really appreciate it Riku," Sora smiles lovingly, "but I'll take the blame." He stands up on his tiptoes to press a kiss to Riku's cheek. "I was in charge of Yozora after all."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am." Sora nods. Then, he turns to Yozora. "Hey, honey."

Yozora turns to him.

"You ready to go on a little adventure?"

Yozora's eyes light up, and he begins rocking on his heels. "It mean we going to da beach?!"

"You'll see." Sora holds out a hand to him. "Take my hand."

Yozora takes it and Sora hoists him up on his shoulders.

"Onward!" Yozora commands, sticking an arm out.

"Onward!" Sora repeats, walking forward, Riku and Kairi in tow.

Riku grabs the toy, snack, and towel bags, and a very special item that he tucks into the towel bag, while Kairi locks the door behind everyone.

Sora walks down the street, Yozora on his shoulders, and Riku and Kairi on either side.

Eventually, the gravel road transitions to dirt, and as Yozora points towards the city, Sora goes the opposite way on a path through some houses and down to the shore.

"No! This way!" Yozora still points towards the city with his outstretched arm, grunting as he still twists to point in that direction. "Houses!"

"We're going this way," Sora says. "Down to the beach."

Yozora drops the subject, and his eyes light up. "Oh! Tha beach!" He throws his arms up in the air. "Tha~t's it! We going!"

Kairi and Riku smile while Sora stifles a laugh.

Once they make it to the shore, Yozora points at the ocean.

"We gonna play _now_?"

"Not yet," Sora answers as he moves over to a small dock with two small boats tied to it. He kneels down to let Yozora drop down to the sand. "We need to take the boats where we're going."

A look of confusion sprouts on Yozora's face and Sora takes his hand just in case he tries to get in a boat by himself.

Sora leans back to Riku, whispering, "Hey, you mind going with Yozora, so I can talk to Kairi?"

"No problem." Riku smiles that loving smile at Sora as he passes the bags to him and Sora lets go of Yozora's hand. He picks up Yozora and steps into the boat. "Ready to ride with me?" Riku asks him, to which Yozora replies, excited, "Yeah!"

Sora smiles his own loving smile, watching them before gesturing for Kairi to get in the boat first. "Ladies first," he smirks, but Kairi just laughs at him.

"I think it's good you realize that _you're_ going first."

"I'm not a girl," Sora pouts, frowning.

"But I can still row. You probably need a break from carrying Yozora around anyways."

"Fine." Sora's frown shifts into a smile. "I'm not complaining! Less work for me!" He steps into the boat and sits down, waiting for Kairi expectantly.

Kairi rolls her eyes. She decides not to call him out, and instead steps into the boat behind Sora, unties both boats, then sits down, facing away from him. She sets both hands on the oar handles. "We're ready!" 

She gives Riku a thumbs up, and he moves Yozora to his lap before beginning to row.

"It's been a while since we got to talk, Kairi," Sora states as Kairi begins to row.

"I know. It's been a week or two." Kairi sighs.

"It has… How are you?"

"Stuff's good," Kairi answers. "Xion and Naminé got a better apartment in Twilight Town. Olette's moving in with me and Selphie and her boyfriend--Selphie's that is--during the week. You hear from Roxas lately?"

"Well...uh...not really..." Sora rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment. "We haven't gotten to talk to many people lately with Riku and I trying to find jobs and still stay in shape should the worlds need us again."

"You need jobs? I thought you guys racked up munny going on all of Yen Sid's missions like the rest of us?"

"We're trying to be a normal family?"

Kairi raises an eyebrow. "As normal as two ripped keyblade wielders and their exact fusion child?"

"Well-"

"And their mouse, duck, and dog dads."

"I…touché... We just...Riku and I promised each other we would try to raise Yozora as normal as possible before warming him up to this stuff."

"Ah." Kairi brings the oar handles up to her face before pushing them forward and down. "Also...I heard Roxas and Hayner and Pence just moved in together."

"Howdya think that's going?" 

"I don't know," Kairi laughs.

"And..." Sora remembers something. "Are...Vani and Rik- I mean- Repliku still on that self discovery trip?"

"Yeah...they're figuring stuff out."

Sora sighs and stares out at the ocean in silence. _I hope they're okay, but...I wish we could see them..._

Eventually, Kairi speaks up to break the silence. "Y'know, Sora...maybe you should invite some of us over more. You know we all love Yozora and most of us would do anything for you and Riku."

"Yeah...we...just...don't wanna bother you guys, that's all... We know you guys still go on missions and stuff..."

Kairi sighs. "You two can be so stupid sometimes. Y'ever thought of just asking, dork?"

Sora stays silent.

"It never hurts to ask," Kairi informs Sora, to which he nods.

After a moment, Kairi laughs. "Plus, I know a number of us would do _anything_ to get out of keyblade training and missions."

That causes Sora to laugh. "You too?" he teases.

"Well, yeah!" she laughs, "Not all of us have a child to get us out of it."

Sora's laugh dies down and leaves a smile. "Yeah." He forgets how much he misses talking to Kairi, and he knows he'll feel the same way when he gets to see everyone. He gives Kairi a hug from behind. "I really did miss you, Kairi."

Kairi smiles. "I know."

After a little bit, Sora pulls away, and turns back around to see-

"Land ahoy!" he shouts in excitement. "Land ahoy!"

And soon enough, his boat and Riku's boat are docked, and he and Kairi tie up both boats while Riku helps Yozora out of the boat.

Yozora's eyes widen, and he attempts to run off before Riku catches him and bends down.

Yozora pouts.

"Hey, I know you wanna play."

"Yeah…"

"Just please close your eyes one more time for me, okay? We're almost there."

Yozora sighs. "Kay, daddy…" He closes his eyes, and Riku takes his hand.

"Go ahead and start walking. I'll guide you, okay?" Riku stands back up and helps lead Yozora as he toddles across the beach.

"Ooookay." 

"Don't open your eyes yet."

"I not!"

Kairi and Sora follow behind, giggling at the five year old, and once Riku leads them under the bridge, he stops.

"Okay. Open your eyes."

Riku lets go of Yozora's hand, and the moment he opens his eyes, he's met with a dozen colorful people and voices.

"SURPRISE!" every voice yells, and Yozora bounds forward in excitement.

Kairi, Sora, and Riku watch Yozora, all with loving smiles, as he gives quick short hugs to everyone, attempting to say every one of their names.

"Sheen! Namy! Pwiku! Vinny! Wosee! Wee! Tewa! Ven! Mass! Gwanpy Goofy! Ice-a! Hay-ner! Pen! Let! Gwanpy Donyald! Hooey! Dooey! Looey! Gwanpy Mickey! Aukwa!" By the last name, Yozora is panting.

"Da...daddies… Look… Fam-il-y…"

"Yeah." Riku bends over, smiling at him.

After his Yozora induced trance, Sora shifts his eyes over to the crowd of people on the beach and gasps very dramatically before running up to two specific people and trapping them both in a hug.

"Vani! Ri- er- Repliku! I can't believe you guys didn't tell us you were coming! I missed you guys!" Sora pulls away, dropping his arms back to his sides.

"Not like we _wanted_ to be here."

Repliku laughs, then points at Yozora. "He's trying to seem indifferent, but we both couldn't pass up seeing Yozora on his birthday." He lets his hand drop back to his side and puts his other on Vanitas's shoulder. "He loves Yozora like he was his own child," he teases with a laugh and a smirk.

Vanitas turns to hide his face as he gets flustered, causing his cheeks to redden. "Shut it."

Repliku laughs, Vanitas tries harder to hide his face, and Sora giggles.

A loud squeal sounds out and Sora turns his head, craning his neck in the direction of the sound.

It's just Yozora playing tag with Huey, Dewey, Louie, and even Max. It's an adorable sight, watching Yozora parade around after finally tagging someone, then run away, squealing in delight.

"Well," Sora smiles, turning back to Vanitas and Repliku, "it's so nice to see you guys, but I have to say hi to everyone else too! See ya!" He gives Repliku and Vanitas a short hug each before dashing off towards Donald and Goofy.

~

Meanwhile, Riku waves bye to King Mickey, trying to cover his red face as he walks off towards Terra and Aqua. "He always has to embarrass me like he's my _dad_ ," he mumbles.

"Riku! How are you?" Aqua smiles, and Terra holds out a hand.

"How you been, Mr. Keyblade wielder?" Terra winks.

Riku sighs and takes his hand, shaking it. "I'm...good."

_Is he trying to be like my dad too?_

"I haven't talked to you guys in a while. What've you been doing?"

Terra laughs. "Same old, same old."

"Training and missions," Aqua adds.

"And...are your mom duties any easier?" Riku laughs.

"Never." Aqua laughs. "I can never keep those two out of trouble."

Terra crosses his arms. "Yeah, Vanitas is pretty hard to keep under control."

Aqua attempts to stifle a laugh, but soon doubles over laughing. "You...Terra… You think I...I was talking about…" Another laugh bursts out. "Vanitas?!"

"Well, of course. Who else would-"

"I was talking about you and Ven, you big dork."

And Riku joins in on Aqua's infectious laughter.

"I haven't even seen Vanitas much till today. You and Ven are always pulling each other off on adventures and getting into trouble."

"I don't know what-"

Aqua raises an eyebrow. "Once a week _at least_ I have to track you guys down and pull you out of some trouble."

"Well...I...we're...we're _fine_ most of the time. Ven and I can usually handle ourselves…" Terra grumbles.

"Well, that aside..." Aqua straightens her body and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Terra and Ven and I have been...thinking of something lately."

Riku raises and eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Well, we won't all be around for forever so...we were thinking about starting something to...train the next generation of keyblade wielders."

Riku's eyes widen, and he subconsciously brings his voice down to a whisper. "You two wanna-"

"Terrrrraaaa!" Ven interrupts as he runs into Terra's arm, clinging to it. "Terra, play with us!" He tugs at Terra's arm.

"Well, uh- Ven, I- I'm talking-"

"Just go, Terra." Aqua smiles at him, placing a hand on his shoulder as Ven continues to pull at his arm.

A little red faced, embarrassed, Terra sputters, "A-aqua are y-y-y-you sure?"

"Just go. Have fun." She gives his shoulder a pat, and he calms down a little.

"Okay." He nods. "Okay then, Ven, let's go."

Ven practically beams as Terra lets him drag him off.

Once they're gone, Riku begins again, whispering, "You're gonna train new wielders? Does Yen Sid know?"

"No. We haven't told him yet."

"How do you plan on doing it?"

"Well...save the children, Donald, Goofy, Naminé, your replica, Vanitas, Hayner, Pence, and Olette...everyone is a keyblade master now, right?"

Riku nods.

"Well, each one of us can search the world for a few apprentices, bequeath them keyblades, and train them."

Riku opens his mouth to speak, but Aqua interrupts him.

"You'd do it after Yozora's older." She quickly adds, "If you'd accept, of course."

"Okay." Riku nods. "Where?"

"I was thinking...probably the Land of Departure. The castle _is_ pretty big, and it definitely has equipment considering Terra, Ven, and I were trained there."

"Well...I...I'll have to...think...about it…"

"Aqua! Aqua! Aqua!" Both Terra and Ven latch themselves onto Aqua, attempting to pull her away.

"Aqua, pleaaaaaase you _have_ to play with us! You just _have_ to!"

"It'll be so much fun!"

And soon enough, there's a sudden weight on Riku's back, legs wrapped around his back and arms over his shoulders.

"Riku! Riku! Let's gooooooo!" Sora chants a few times, latched onto Riku's back. "You _have_ to come play with us! It's so much fun! Pleaaaaaaase, Riku? Please?"

And of course, with a laugh, Riku gives in, as does Aqua, and Ven and Terra drag her while Riku carries Sora close to the shore.

"Okay, stop!"

Riku bends down, letting Sora drop to the ground.

"Okay, okay, okay," Sora whispers to himself. "Kairiiiiiiiiii!" he calls across the beach, "Will you refereeeeeeee?"

Riku laughs as Kairi answers, calling back, "Fine! But this is the _last time_!" 

_Sora and Ven and Terra are definitely high off exhilaration._

She trudges across the beach, passing by Lea, Isa, and Roxas playing frisbee, the kids running around, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy building sand structures, and Xion and Naminé sitting on a blanket in the sand on a little picnic date as Naminé shows Xion a drawing from her sketchbook. It's almost like that day on the islands when-

_No. We're here right now. Alive and not thinking about this._

Kairi stands on the left side of the group that has now formed a line, Riku on the left, Sora beside him, and Aqua on the far right, with Terra and Ven situated between Sora and Aqua.

She raises her arm to the sky, hand in a blade. "To the paopu tree and back! Three!"

Competition mode is on, and Riku and Sora narrow their eyes, shift their legs, and prepare to bound forward at "go".

"Two!"

Next, Terra and Ven get ready.

"One!"

Aqua gets ready, and Sora and Riku sneak a glance at each other.

Kairi whips her arm down. "Go!"

Immediately, everyone bounds forward, but already, Riku's ahead, fighting with Sora for first place, just like always. Terra's gaining on them, but he's fighting with Aqua while Ven lags a little behind, trying to catch up.

~

"YES!" Sora throws his arms up in the air, slowing his run into a jog after he just barely beats Riku to the finish line. He drops to pant for a moment, but he straightens his body back as soon as he regains his energy. He watches Aqua pass the finish next with Terra following.

Sora's ear tingles when warm breath hits it, and his cheeks flush a little.

"I'm going to beat you next time," Riku breathes into his ear.

Sora freezes, staring straight ahead where Terra pants hard and Aqua pats his back, sympathetic, stifling a laugh.

If he and Riku were alone right now in their room, he would tease him back and bed him right now.

_I'll get him back for that._

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Sora looks down at Yozora who's tugging his arm.

"When cake? Now? Pwease?"

Sora laughs. "Okay, okay." He turns inland, calling, "Hey, guys! We're doing cake now!"

"Yaaaaaaaaay!" Yozora yells as he runs inland where everyone's grouping up.

Sora and Riku give each other a nod, and as Riku walks inland, trailing behind Yozora, Sora walks over to Aqua and Terra.

"Sora-" Aqua begins, but Sora cuts her off with a smile.

"It's fine."

"But, Ven… We don't wanna miss saying happy birthday to Yozora," Terra says.

"You can do that afterwards. Go," Sora laughs, gesturing at the paopu tree where Ven sits."

"Thanks."

"Thank you, Sora."

They both nod as they take their leave, sprinting around and up the ramp, making their way up to the paopu tree.

Sora takes his own leave, turning inland, and walking towards the gathered group.

The group is gathered in a huge circle on a patchwork of picnic blankets with different patterns. In the center sits all the food and snacks contributed by the guests, as well as a cake shaped like a lucky emblem with midnight purple frosting and five white candles.

As soon as Sora sits down, legs criss crossed, Yozora jumps in his lap, bouncing up and down.

"Daddy! Daddy! Cake now?!"

Sora ruffles his hair as Xion asks, "Where's Aqua, Ven, and Terra?"

"Yeah, where are those lowlifes?" Vanitas sneers from Repliku's lap while Repliku runs his fingers through Vanitas's hair.

"Well, uh…" Sora rubs the back of his neck. "They're coming, but...they said we could start without them."

"Cake?! Cake?! Cake?!" Yozora jumps all over Sora, tickling him and laughing.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Sora laughs. "Yes! It's time for cake."

"Yaaaaaay!" Yozora stands up, runs over to the cake, and plops down on a blanket in front of it. "Criss-cross applesauce!" Yozora whispers, causing Sora to giggle as he gets up and sits down beside him.

"Now I haftwa wait!"

"That's right." Sora leans and looks back behind him, holding a hand out to Lea expectantly.

"...O-oh, right." Lea drops a lighter in Sora's hand and Sora leans back forward.

"Be careful," Sora warns as he flicks the lighter a couple times to get the flame, then lights every candle.

Then, when Yozora takes a deep breath, preparing to blow out the candles, Sora stops him.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Sora waves his hands in front of his face, indicating for Yozora to stop. "Almost, but not yet, okay?"

Yozora lets the air leak back out as he nods.

Sora gives a sigh before gesturing around the circle. "Ready, everybody? One. Two. Three! Ha-"

Sora's voice melts into the whole group's as everyone starts up. "...ppy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Yozoraaaaa~. Happy birthday to youuuuuuu~"

Then, once Yozora leans forward, takes in the biggest breath he possibly can, and blows out all the candles in one huge breath, everyone cheers. Some clap for him.

"Yay!"

"Happy birthday, Yozora!"

"This is so exciting!"

"Happy birthday!"

Yozora gives a little squeal as he claps his hands together once, and he bounces in excitement again as a smiling Riku scoots to the center.

Sora picks up the plates and pulls the candles out of the cake while Riku takes out the knife and, after Yozora chooses, cuts Yozora's piece of chocolate cake first.

Yozora's face lights up as Sora hands him his plate with cake and a fork, and he runs back to the edge of the circle, not without Sora and Riku warning him about being careful as he runs though. He digs into his piece of cake as Sora and Riku hand out pieces to everyone else.

Eventually, Sora and Riku come back to sit on either side of Yozora, both holding their own pieces of cake, as well as Riku also holding a plate with some plain potato chips, goldfish, strawberries, and blueberries.

Riku sets the snack plate down in front of Yozora, then points at it. "Hey. Hey, Yozora."

When Yozora doesn't hear, continuing to dig into his cake, Sora taps his shoulder and whispers to get his attention, "Yozora."

Yozora looks up at Sora while he continues to stuff his little face, though slower now, and Sora points at the plate.

"We got you some snacks, okay? Goldfish, strawberries, blueberries, chips..."

Yozora nods. He watches as the other children start to get up from the circle and run off to play, so after he finishes his cake, he maybe eats a blueberry and a couple chips. 

After Yozora picks at his plate for a bit, Riku and Sora dismiss him to go play, and they watch him happily sprint across to play with the other children.

"He barely ate anything," Riku points out with a sigh, gesturing to the plate.

"Yup…" Sora sighs. "Five year olds." He shrugs.

Riku nods in agreement as he slides the rest of his cake (he only ate half his piece) onto Sora's plate, then goes to snacking off the snack plate.

"Ewww, gross," Sora teases, mouth full of cake already.

"Whatever, Sora. It's not... It's not like he licked every single goldfish or anything. He barely touched the plate."

"Ewwww, Riku's eating after a baby," Sora laughs.

"Aww, yeah, laugh it up," Riku laughs. "You finished his sandwich just the other day."

"I cut off the part he bit off of first!" Sora pops a strawberry in his mouth.

"Sure, Sora. Shame me for eating off this plate, then eat a strawberry off it." Riku leans up closer to Sora's face and smirks.

Sora's cheeks grow pink, "Aww, lay off it, Riku. It's just a strawberry."

Riku plants a soft, quick kiss on Sora's cheek, and both of them erupt into giggles as Riku leans back and they both snack off the plate.

~

Under the light of the setting sun, surrounded in more than a few pieces of ripped up wrapping paper and a dozen bows, even a few gift bags in the fray, Yozora reaches for the last present--a white gift bag with the words "Happy Birthday!" on it in rainbow and purple tissue paper sticking out the top.

Kairi points at the gift as Yozora rips tissue paper out of it in excitement. "And _that one_...is from your Auntie Kairi."

Eventually, Yozora peers into the bag, and his smile grows as he reaches in with both hands and pulls out a Chirithy plush. He holds it up to the sky to admire it for a moment before pulling it close to his chest for a big hug, squeezing it tight.

"You like it?" Kairi giggles.

"Mmmhmm…"

"Yozora. Don't forget to thank your Auntie Kairi for the gift!" Sora reminds him.

Yozora's voice is muffled by the plush, "Fwnk oo Uwnty Kawi!"

Kairi smiles tenderly at Yozora as she sighs, "You're very welcome."

Yozora suddenly starts rocking back in forth in excitement while holding the plush, and reaches in the direction of the bag of toys beside Riku. "Bat! Meow!"

Both Riku and Sora know exactly what Yozora wants. Riku reaches into the bag and hands Yozora the Komory Bat and Meow Wow plush, which Yozora promptly snuggles tight along with the Chirithy, but Sora stops Yozora before he can get up, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"One more gift, Zora. Then, you can go play."

Yozora's eyes light up and open wide. "One...more?"

Sora nods, "Mmhmm," as he gestures to Riku, who reaches inside the towel bag, drawing out one last gift--a small box wrapped up in red wrapping paper, a blue bow atop it.

Yozora holds his hands out, every plush except for the Komory bat falling out of his arms, and Riku places the gift in his hands. He stares at the gift for a few moments before finally shifting the gift onto one hand, pulling it closer, and lifting the other to take the bow off. The third plush falls to the picnic blanket below him as he sets the present down before him and begins unwrapping the paper, slowly.

Soon, Yozora holds up a little black box, and Riku holds his hand out. Yozora places the box in Riku's hand, a look of confusion upon his face before Riku opens it, and Sora draws a silver chain out of it.

"Wha-?"

"It's a necklace." Riku interrupts Yozora.

Sora takes the clasp in one hand and the other end of the chain in his other hand, and leans forward to clasp it around Yozora's neck.

"Just like the one I gave your father."

Yozora's eyes shift to Sora's neck, where the silver chain and crown pendant reflect the moonlight.

Sora nods. "And the one I gave him."

Then, Yozora's eyes shift to Riku's neck, where the silver chain and pendant of the outline of a heart with tips that curl inwards at its top sits on his chest.

Yozora reaches for the pendant on the necklace around his neck now. It's a combination of both his dad's, the outline of a heart with tips that curl inwards at its top with a crown atop it. He turns his gaze up to his dads as he lets the pendant drop to his chest. "...Thanks, daddies…" he says, breathlessly.

"You'll...grow into it…" Sora begins. "But, it's a lucky charm."

"A...wucky...charm…?" Yozora tilts his head in confusion.

"It'll keep you safe."

"But," Riku adds, "you don't have to hold onto it forever." He turns to Sora, looking straight into his eyes. "When you...have someone...that you desperately want to protect…" Riku muses, "You may give it to them as a promise. A promise...to protect the one you love. Always."

Sora nods, gazing back into Riku's eyes, smiling softly, lovingly. _Maybe Yozora won't get the meaning right now...still being a kid...but he will- one day._

Riku's thoughts run with the memory of his old promise to Sora, and Sora's later one to him. _And maybe, one day...they'll give you one back...and love you back just as fiercely._

"Well." Sora puts a hand on Yozora's shoulder. "That's that," he laughs. "You can go ahead and play now."

As if suddenly remembering that he wanted to do that earlier, Yozora snatches up his plushies and runs off, Huey, Dewey, and Louie following after, then Max getting up to follow too after being dismissed by Goofy.

"You guys are such saps, you know that?" Repliku says with a playful smirk as Vanitas fake gags while pointing into his open mouth.

"Gross, ew, love," Vanitas teases.

Riku and Sora giggle, and it turns into hard laughter from both of them as they bend down to start picking up the leftover trash from presents, slowly, however, due to their laughing.

The laughter spreads to the rest of the group as people from the group start coming over to help clean up.

"Kids. Always leaving us with the icky jobs…" Lea teases with a wink, laughing, looking up at Isa, then to Roxas and Xion.

Sora and Riku truly missed hanging out with everyone like this.

~

After finally having unloaded his clothes from his suitcase into the nearby dresser where Sora's are, Riku strips down to his underwear, leaving his clothes on the floor beside the bed, and falls into the bed beside Sora.

Sora yawns loudly, stretching out his legs and arms before turning to face Riku. "Took you long enough," he teases, laughing.

Riku laughs too. 

After both their laughter dies down, and after a moment of staring into Sora's eyes, Riku turns, facing his entire body up at the ceiling as he pulls the white covers over him. "I still can't believe Kairi and them set up a room in the treehouse for us. It reminds me of when we were kids, setting up forts in here and falling asleep holding hands when we were too tired to go home."

"Yeah," Sora breathes, taking in the nostalgia of it all. He turns his own body to face up at the ceiling, scooting over till he and Riku are side by side, shoulders nearly touching.

Riku sighs hard, then starts laughing.

"What?" Sora inquires, laughing as he turns his body to face Riku again.

"Just…" Riku's laugh dies down, leaving small tears pricking the corners of his eyes. "...Glad that we're alone. No dads."

Sora laughs, "The King embarrass you again?"

"Yeah. Him and Terra. Both of em acted like my dads all day…" Riku turns his body to face Sora, looking straight into his eyes as he sets his hand on Sora's cheek and trails his fingers down to lift up his chin. His tone changes to one that causes Sora to blush as he breathes, "Sora...your skin...is so soft...you know-"

"Oh no you don't," Sora interrupts. "It's my turn now," he breathes, using a similar tone to Riku's. He throws his arm pointed at the ceiling over Riku's shoulder.

Riku's breath hitches as Sora trails his fingers down the spine of his bare back, sending tingles down it.

And without warning, Sora tugs Riku close, and Riku gasps, eyes opening wide as Sora plants his lips atop his.

It's not long though before Riku relaxes, eyes closing, and throws his own arm over Sora's shoulder, trailing his fingers around his back as Sora brings his hand up to his ponytail. 

Sora tugs at the rubberband at Riku's head until it breaks, causing his longer silver-lavender hair to spill out over them. Sora buries his hand in Riku's freed hair and tugs him closer, closer, closer, and they kiss again, again, again.

_Once, twice, three times. Cross-_

And they finally pull back, smiling, giggling, foreheads pressed together, lips only inches away from being pressed against each other again.

"Y'know, Riku…" Sora begins in that tone that causes Riku to blush. "You're the most beautiful--gorgeous--man I've ever met. My best friend. You have the most beautiful long hair that glows like moonlight in the night, and I swear to god...your _eyes_ …"

Riku swallows slowly as his face reddens.

"They're so beautiful… They're like, mini oceans...aquamarine pearls mined from the bottom of the sea." Sora moves his face closer, breathing hot air into Riku's ear. "You're so... _sexy_ …"

Riku lets out a squeak of embarrassment, and wishes his sprawled out hair was covering his beet red face at the moment.

"Hey, Riku…?"

"...Yeah?" he manages to squeak out.

"We're completely alone here on this island--in this room. It's just _you_ ...and _me_ … _No_ Terra. _No_ Mickey. _No_ Donald and Goofy. _No_ dads." He smirks playfully. "And for the first time in a long time... _no_ peeking Yozoras to stop us. Would you like to?"

Although embarrassed, red faced, Riku knows what he wants, and he manages to push out a confident " _Yes_ " before Sora completely turns the tables on him and rolls on top of him, face suspended over his own.

_Cross the line._

Sora did decide earlier he would have to get Riku back.

~

"Thanks for letting me stay for a couple nights, Kairi," Repliku says while sitting at the edge of Kairi's pull out couch, absentmindedly playing with and tickling little Yozora beside him. "Vanitas and I were going to just come for the party before going back on our journey, but...we couldn't help but stay a little longer."

"You're welcome," Kairi nods. She sits down beside him, picking up Yozora and placing him in her lap. "Though...where's Vanitas?"

Repliku sighs angrily. "It's obvious he wanted to say, but he refused, saying, 'I'm gonna sleep outside, in the dark, where I belong.' Of course...we'll probably see him in here soon, but...he's so stubborn. He's determined to keep his crap darkness reputation in front of everyone..."

Kairi frowns before Yozora wiggles off her lap to run around her living room. "What made you guys decide to stay longer?"

Repliku sighs, calming down a little. "...He wouldn't admit it in front of anyone, but...it's for Yozora...and also because we just miss everyone..." He shifts his gaze up to the ceiling, and his frown slowly shifts into a small smile. "It's kinda funny, actually," he muses. "That jerk's got more Sora in em than he realizes. I can tell he really cares so much for everyone...even me...even though he doesn't show it... He's a big sap at heart."

Kairi bursts out laughing, and Repliku's smile breaks as he turns to her in confusion.

"What's so funny?" he demands.

"S-sorry, sorry," Kairi apologizes before she begins to laugh harder. "It's just… It's just…" She lets her laugh dwindle so she can at least speak semi-coherently. "It's...It's just...you are so much like Riku."

"What?"

"I can tell you care about Vanitas, just by how you look just now."

Repliku's eyes widen. "I don't-"

"You should have seen yourself. You gushed about him with a soft smile I swear I've seen on Riku."

"I-I...I-I don't...I don't…" Repliku sputters, averting his eyes, cheeks red.

Kairi shakes her head with a laugh. "He never could hide his true feelings about Sora either," she says knowingly.

Repliku looks down at his lap, suddenly lost in thought.

"Repliku...something you wanna talk about?"

Repliku bites his lip, holds in a breath, before finally letting it all go. "Do you...mind?"

"No, no, go ahead, just give me a sec. Watch Yozora."

"...Kay…" Repliku nods as Kairi runs to her room where Olette sits on the bed, looking at the screen of her gummiphone.

While Olette moves in, Kairi offered to let her stay in her room until they set up her bed.

"Hey, Olette?"

Olette looks up from her gummiphone, a smile gracing her face as she sees Kairi. "Yeah?"

"Would you mind helping Yozora brush his teeth and stuff before I put him to bed?"

Olette drops her gummiphone onto the comforter and hops off of the bed. "No problem!"

Kairi smiles at her before walking out of the room, Olette trailing behind.

Once they make it into the living room, Kairi gives Olette a quick kiss on the cheek and whispers, "Thanks."

Olette's smile grows, and she walks over to take Yozora's hand. "Hey, Yozora."

Yozora tries to pull his hand out. "Wanna...play…"

"We have to go brush teeth and stuff, then you can come back and play."

"But...Anty Let...play…"

"Please? Just for your Auntie Let?"

"O...kay…" Yozora grumbles, frowning, as he lets Olette guide him to the bathroom.

"I said 'it's no problem'," Olette whispers to Kairi as she passes by her on her way to the bathroom.

Kairi lets out a short giggle before traversing the carpet back over to the pull out couch and sitting back down by Repliku. "Okay, go ahead. Tell me what's wrong."

Repliku sighs, taking a breath in, "...Well...not like you guys would know since it's been a while but...things have...changed…"

"Changed...how?"

"...Well...before Vanitas and I left on our journey I...I already knew Naminé didn't like me. But...I thought...I thought I would be content anyways, love her forever. I thought that was my destiny and I didn't mind, but...those fake memories I received after I was created...must have lost their hold. And...why wouldn't they? I mean...everything about me was fake…"

"Lost...their hold…?"

Repliku sighs again. "Of course...I'll always have a special fondness for her in my heart due to those memories, but...my heart...changed…" He pauses, "He doesn't...know...but...I couldn't help it. After spending so much time with him like that...creating _real_ memories...it affected me hard…"

After another pause, Repliku lifts his head to look at Kairi. "I...god...you're right I just...I can't help it… I _gush_ about him. He doesn't even know...but I made a _real_ protection charm for him because I want to protect him. It hit me even harder when Riku and Sora gave Yozora one like the ones they gave each other, because it just...scared me. It really hit me again that I've changed. That I'm not just some puppet. That I'm not in love with Naminé anymore. What if...it made me afraid that I...what if I..."

Repliku begins to look down again, but Kairi smiles and reaches out to put a hand under his chin to pull it back up. "You love him."

Repliku doesn't have the heart to deny it, so he bites his lip in silence, averting his eyes once again.

"You love him--that jerk--don't you."

Silence.

"Look at me," Kairi demands. "You admire him, yes?"

"...Yes…" he answers hesitantly.

"You gush about him. You want to protect him."

"...Yes…"

"You want to be strong for him. You want to be strong together."

"Yes…"

"Well, then, it's simple," Kairi shrugs. "You don't have to deal with it all right now, but you love him."

"I...I do…" he breathes. "But...but what if he...?"

"Don't think about that right now. It's okay."

Repliku opens his mouth to speak, but lets it close before giving Kairi a nod.

Kairi slowly gets up from the pull out couch to go to her room, then strips before pulling on pink lounge pants and a white tank top, and taking a rubber band from her bedside table to pull her hair into a loose ponytail.

As Kairi passes by Olette in the hallway, leaving her room while Olette walks inside, she hears loud knocks on the front door, then sounds of it opening and closing just as she runs into the living room.

There, in the living room, is Vanitas, smiling as he plays with Yozora and his plushies, while Repliku sleeps soundly on the pull out couch.

"Oh, they're best friends are they?"

"Yeah! Best fwiends fwever!"

"And what happens if one gets _kidnapped_?!" Vanitas snatches the Chirithy from Yozora.

"Fwiends save em!"

"Oh? Well, what if-?" Vanitas freezes dead in his tracks, catching Kairi in the doorway, smiling at him.

"I thought you were gonna sleep outside in the dark?"

"Of...of course I am! I just…"

Kairi raises an eyebrow. "Came to play with Yozora?"

"Yes! I- I mean, no! I mean… I mean…" Growing more frustrated, Vanitas eventually settles on, "Wouldn't _you_ like to know?!"

"Well, since you're playing with him, make sure you put him to bed."

Vanitas sighs angrily. "Yes, yes, fine. Fine." He picks up Yozora, who immediately tries to wriggle out of his grasp, and sets him down on the pull out couch beside Repliku. "Sleep."

Yozora frowns as he tries to slip off the bed. "I wanna…"

Vanitas pulls him back.

"I wanna…" Yozora tries to slip off again.

Vanitas pulls him back, holding him in place this time.

"I wanna…" he struggles against Vanitas's hold, "play… Wanna...play…"

Vanitas sighs frustratingly. "Kid."

"I wanna…"

"Kid."

"Hmm, Uncwa Vinny?"

Vanitas retracts his hands. "If you go to sleep, right here. Right now. I'll…get you another present."

Yozora gasps, eyes wide. "Really?!"

"Yes, yes, I promise. Just sleep."

"Buh...Vinny...pwushes...pwushes…"

"Pwushies? For the love of…" Vanitas stalks over to retrieve Yozora's three plushies from the carpet, then returns, dropping them between Yozora and Repliku. "Sleep now?"

Yozora yawns as he squeezes his plushies, snuggling in beside Repliku. "Kay...Vinny…"

"Finally…" Vanitas sighs, pulling the sheets over Repliku and Yozora. His gaze shifts from Yozora to Repliku and he holds in a breath, lingering for a moment before he whips around and stalks over to the door.

Kairi still smiles. She saw Vanitas linger for a moment, staring at Repliku. "Leaving already, huh?"

He doesn't look back. "Was never here."

"You know...he cares about you a lot…"

Vanitas stops. "Who?"

"Well...we all do, including Yozora...but I was referring to Repliku."

Vanitas turns around, and changes the subject, covering up his surprised expression with a smirk. "Those two are alone on that island, right? You think they're...doing _that_?"

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised," Kairi laughs. "It's been a while since they had a chance to be alone without Yozora." She adds, "Though...I just thought you'd like to know...that Repliku really likes you."

Vanitas frowns as he turns around. "See ya."

Kairi shrugs as she leaves the room, and in the hallway, she hears the door slam. It could be tougher to get the truth out of Vanitas than Riku at times.

~

Vanitas stands before the pull out couch, staring at Repliku's peaceful face. He had seen it multiple times on their journey together, but every time it left him breathless. He couldn't explain it, and he definitely wasn't about to figure it out, admit it to himself, Repliku, or anyone.

When Kairi groggily walks into the living room later to check up on Repliku and Yozora, she sees Yozora situated between Repliku and Vanitas, hugging his plushies tight, while, unaware, Vanitas and Repliku face each other, hands clasped together over Yozora. They'd figure out everything for themselves someday.

Kairi drags her feet over to the pull out couch and leans down to give Yozora a kiss on the forehead. "Happy Birthday, Yozora. From me, your dads, and all of us."


End file.
